conversation

A conversation with HCC Alumna Dr. Monette Ferguson

Executive Director, Alliance For Community Empowerment

The inaugural Housatonic Helps initiative provided an opportunity for the HCC team to participate in a community food distribution event led by Alliance For Community Empowerment. The organization’s executive director, Dr. Monette Ferguson, is an HCC alumna.

Alliance for Community Empowerment (Alliance), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit agency, works to eradicate poverty and serves more than 35,000 individuals annually through its broad range of services in a six-town area that largely aligns with Housatonic’s service area.

How Dr. Ferguson came to become the executive director is a story of perseverance. Born and raised in Bridgeport, she lived in public housing until grade 9 when her family moved to Stratford. Knowing that education creates opportunity, her family championed education in her home and three generations have attended HCC, including Dr. Ferguson’s mother, herself, and her daughter and son (current student).

“Housatonic is a huge piece of the success stories of my staff, the families I serve, and my own family. It has helped with propelling folks through higher education. It has always been an affordable, viable option for a great education,” she said.

With an Associate’s Degree that majored in criminal justice from HCC, Dr. Ferguson went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in general studies from the University of Bridgeport, and a Master’s Degree in criminology and forensic psychology from the University of New Haven. Her plan was a career in law.

When it came time to take the LSATs, she changed course and joined Alliance for Community Empowerment (then named ABCD) as a case worker for the Head Start program. She was drawn to the program’s design to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs.

“To me, that was the key to uplifting families through early education and wrap-around services. It made sense for me to be a part of that,” she said.

Dr. Ferguson was promoted quickly and soon was operating her own childcare site within the agency. From there, she was moved into upper management, directing the early learning division for 10 years, and then asked to run the agency. She has been executive director for the past two years.

“Poverty changes everything. Just because you were born into poverty doesn’t mean you have to stay in poverty. I’m that example. Had it not been for a different mindset and good family support and a quality education, I don’t think I would be where I am today, she said.

Dr. Ferguson sees Housatonic as a great partner. In the past, Alliance staff members have participated in early childhood education training at HCC, and Alliance job opportunities have been shared with HCC graduates. Alliance also has provided HCC students in need with meals and resources. In the future, Alliance case management experiences will be broadened with HCC and HCC students having difficulty finding childcare who qualify for Head Start can partner so they may concentrate on their studies.

“I love the aspect of opportunity, I’m a benefactor of opportunity. I know there are folks that when presented with opportunity they’re going to run with it as well, and I want to be part of that narrative. The opportunity to further partner with HCC is going to create that trampoline for folks to propel themselves into this land of opportunity and I’m excited about that,” she said.